The Survivors

1

Marc pushed away his tray, yawning.

“Don’t wimp out yet.” Neil grinned. “You have two stops left on this introduction tour.”

“Why?” Marc scanned the crowded mess. No Angie. “Is there someone we haven’t pissed off yet?” He met cold stares and threatening glares as his gaze traveled the bright dining area. He swallowed a sigh. Winning the contest meant little to these hardened survivors now that they were off the field.

Neil snickered. “We’ll attend the bonfire party for a few minutes, then spend some time in the far south corner of camp. That should get the last of ’em.”

Marc had begun to frown as he spotted Rick in line, a few places behind Samantha. That was another problem Adrian had. Marc understood there wasn’t proof, but he didn’t agree with the saying about keeping your enemies close. “The south end. Isn’t that area off-limits to me?”

Neil was glad Marc had paid attention to the map and rules he’d been given. Neil met Adrian’s stare across the crowded, noisy mess. “You need to be a part of everything he’s got going on here. Your first day with us will be the one we remember clearest. We’ll hang at the bonfire, then watch the rookies take their level test.”

Marc swept the perimeter. He found guards searching him with speculative expressions. Marc nodded to them.

As if on cue, the men all faded back into the shadows at the same time, vanishing without a response. What the hell was that? “You include the beer and joint in there somewhere?”

Neil laughed. “Right after we’re done here. Hurry up, will ya? I need a buzz.”

Marc chuckled. He let Seth draw him into a conversation about the wolf at their feet. Seth’s welcoming wave when they arrived had caused Kenn to grit his teeth and pass the mess instead of joining Adrian’s loud center table.

The picnic table Neil and Marc were at was a double; they were surrounded by the men they’d played soccer with and against. The females from the gun class were in the seats next to them. Samantha was sandwiched in the middle and looked like Marc felt–uncomfortable.

There was a lot of flirting between the two tables. Marc saw little Becky’s gaze go to Neil repeatedly. Something about the note, he thought. Marc couldn’t stop himself from scanning again for black hair and blue eyes.

“She’s not coming.” Kyle sat on the bench by Neil, He put his back to their table as he studied the one that he’d just left. “She’s with the vet. Said there’s a lot to be done.”

Marc heard the approval, the admiration. “Let me guess. Kenn said she couldn’t, so she stayed all day to prove she could?”

Kyle’s lips twitched as he scanned the sentries, doing a check in. Clear. “That’s the story. I’m sure it’s true to a point, but really, I think she’s just avoiding all of us.”

Marc sighed. That was his Angie. She wouldn’t rock the boat unless she had to.

“Congrats by the way. You’ve made it to the top of his list.” Kyle assessed the new man ruthlessly. This was Angela’s chosen mate if he was reading things right. Is Marc worthy of her, of that honor?

Marc frowned. “What list?”

“Kenn’s death list.” Neil shrugged. “When he snaps, we’ll know it first.”

Kyle slapped the trooper on the shoulder. “Neil here made it to second after today, and Seth now has third locked up, so at least you’re in good company.”

They all laughed as Kyle moved toward the line for a refill. It drew more attention to Kenn’s complaints and warnings. It was clear that he’d lied.

2

Adrian was pleased. It had been a good day. Marc had made real progress; Angela had shown she wasn’t afraid of labor, and his people had come through another momentous change together. They had realized his choice for second in command had serious flaws. Now, it was up to Kenn to prove he could control the things that had broken him in the old world. He would either accept Marc and Angela had a place here or he would endanger his own.

Lingering over a third cup of coffee as the mess emptied and the camp went about their nightly rituals, Adrian was glad when it was only the cleaning crew left. Quiet minutes to think were hard to come by.

Adrian hated it that Kenn hadn’t come to the table for the evening meal, but it was great that Marc was handling himself so well. He now had friends in high places. Adrian couldn’t help but ask himself if maybe it wasn’t too late to remove…

No. Marc would never give him the total commitment that Kenn already did. The Marine was born to be his right hand; Adrian had to believe that. When Angela made her final choice, Kenn would deal with it and things would settle down. Until then, he had plenty of work for all of them.

Cold wind spun through the mess, carrying a thick chill. Adrian was suddenly exhausted, but a bonfire party, a level test, a poker game, and rounds still waited. He sighed, draining the last dregs of cool coffee from his mug. Then, there was the gleam in Neil’s eye that had warned he wasn’t done getting Marc noticed. Adrian opened his notebook and started searching for anything he might have missed.

3

“Tell me more about how things work here.” Both men kept an eye out for Kenn and Zack in the shadows as they headed to Neil’s tent.

“What would you like answered first?” Neil was curious what was at the top of Marc’s need-to-know list.

“How often do you travel, where are you going, who decides what?”

Neil liked that. It was exactly the order he would have chosen. “We’re on the road three or four days a week, sometimes more. We have camp meetings every month to decide where we search next. As for the decisions, that’s all Adrian. Where he leads, we’ll follow.”

Marc nodded. That, I get. “When are you on the road again?”

“We’ll be moving out at 9am, day after next to collect food supplies one of the scouting missions found.”

Marc kept his voice low. “Is it a secret, where you’re going? Is that why you avoided my question?”

Neil wanted to celebrate. Kenn had a lot more competition than he knew, and not just for Angie. Marc was beyond sharp. He was the edge of a well-tended razor. Definitely a better match for Adrian’s right. “It’s more unknown than secret. We search, we vote, we search some more.”

“But…”

Neil frowned. “We don’t know. He hasn’t made a final choice.”

Marc realized Neil was uneasy about that. “You guys have been traveling since…February?” Marc was trying to give the file in his mind a creation date.

Neil finished his Mountain Dew and hooked it into one of the two flaming cans they were passing. “Kyle and I have been with Adrian since almost the beginning. Doug came in January. Seth was the first week in February. We’ve been traveling the entire time. We average a month in each state, picking up supplies and survivors. We’ve come to trust Adrian’s instincts as much as you do Angela’s. If he says we go on, we do.”

Marc scowled. It bothered him that people were noticing her strangeness.

Neil felt his new friend’s sudden worry and guessed at the cause. “Adrian hasn’t picked a final destination yet because we haven’t found one he thinks we can live in for long. It’s one of the things he has us watching for. Adrian is building a future for us where one doesn’t exist, but he can’t do it alone. He needs strong help who will support him even when the unpopular choices are made.”

“You mean like going into the caves.”

Neil blinked. There’s that razor again. “Yes. He loathes the idea, the same as the rest of these men, but there will be a bad winter this year, whether it comes in August or January. If we can’t locate a place and get it ready, we won’t survive until spring, no matter how well he cares for us. The first winter will be hard, and maybe even longer than we’re used to. He’s teaching us as fast as he can, but there are nights he doesn’t sleep. Can’t, I think. He wanders, thinks, hunts.”

Marc didn’t meet Neil’s eye as they stopped by his dark tent. “I can help. I have ideas, things I’ve noticed since I came in.” He paused, reluctant. “Should I give them to Kenn and keep proving I can follow the chain of command?”

Neil motioned Marc to follow as he ducked inside and flipped on the dome light. “Give it to Kenn if it’s small shit that you can’t believe he missed. Otherwise, always Adrian. Have a seat.”

The tent was a copy of their fearless leader’s, but Marc was glad to see jeans on the floor and papers scattered about. Adrian’s neat canvas bothered him, especially the lined-up change. Who spends time doing that when money is no good now? “Why not give them to you?”

Neil handed him a dripping beer from the cooler, with a paper towel. “Because I’m really not trying to climb those ranks. I can’t fill Kenn’s shoes. Adrian knows it. I suspect you could, though.”

Marc shook his head.

Neil waved it off. “You don’t want it right now. Our understanding came quicker. The things we loved the way you love Angie were gone, and he was exactly what we needed, always full of hope to balance our grief. Once he helps you find happiness, the need to repay him, to serve him, will overwhelm you the same as it did the rest of us.”

Marc shrugged. Unlikely. The leader here is hinky. I don’t know how yet, but I’m sure he’s hiding something huge. I hope I don’t have to dig in and find out what it is...because I will.

4

Kenn had ditched his pals and spent evening mess in his tent, breaking in the new punching bag he’d put up but hadn’t used yet. He didn’t bother with the gloves or tape, though he had both in his duffel bag. Kenn cast fast, furious shadows on the canvas walls as he let out the humiliation, anger, guilt.

If only I hadn’t hit her!

That’s why the Eagles were turning on him. He shouldn’t have corrected her physically, no matter how much she needed it. His old temperament fought with the new man he was becoming, driving his fists. When Kenn finally headed for the showers, his breathing was hard; he was dripping sweat. Kenn saw two new tents up on the female side, one of them across from where Marc’s had been placed.

Fresh rage churned in his gut. People would suspect she had done it because she was scared. Are they right? Is she? Then how could she keep resisting? She had avoided him for the two days she’d been here, but the whispers were still awful. Waves were sloshing over all sides of his rocking boat.

Kenn brushed off those who wanted to offer condolences or support, ignoring questions and hard stares. He went to the showers, stewing. He had five days before Angela confirmed what everyone was thinking. Five days to keep it all from blowing up.

How? What will it take to get her back under control?

Nothing, his mind insisted flatly. She might not tell them, but in return, you’d have to let them become a couple.

Kenn flinched, letting the cool water beat on him. He couldn’t do that.

His icy heart spoke up. Lie? Tell her she’s free and try to win her back. Use her son. She owes you. The voice was ruthless. Release her, then beg her not to split up the family you have. Don’t say she owes you for keeping Charlie alive, but think it so she’ll hear it.

Kenn’s mind kept talking; he began to feel better, putting the right words together. He could do that. He’d been playing roles all his life. While he wore her down, he would keep Marc busy with nasty chores designed to at least make him complain and become known as a whiner. Kenn hoped it would run Marc off, but deep down, he knew it wouldn’t. The only one who could get the bastard to leave was Adrian, and that wasn’t happening.

Kenn sighed, drying off. He would help with the level tests like he always did, then he’d spend a couple hours on schedules while waiting for Angela to hit the showers or bathrooms. He would be able to see both of those from a dim corner of the mess. She would expect him to be on duty again, like last night.

First, he would suck it up and do rounds, along with anything else he could think of to earn back points. Adrian was also a wild card, as well as an ace in this deck. He had to be careful not to make the boss think about giving his place to Neil or Marc. Both men were definite rivals now as far as Kenn was concerned. He was glad there would only be one of them around for the next two hours, but he was still dreading them all being together in Adrian’s tent later for the poker game he wasn’t sure he had been invited to. Man, life sure changed fast for me.

5

“This might get ugly. More people will support Kenn right now, but Adrian has the final say.” Neil felt he had to add another warning. He didn’t want Marc blindsided this time. “There is a chance he’ll side with Kenn.”

“Shouldn’t you ask him first?” The two men stood in the darkest shadows behind the row of semis that hid Adrian’s fort. Marc didn’t really want to be here. He was unable to keep from comparing all this tension to recent nights spent by a fire, alone with the only woman he’d ever loved. “We don’t have to keep doing this. I’ve been a loner all my life. Why should now be any different?”

Neil rounded on him. “Because of the war! Why else? Our country needs us.” Neil studied him. “Don’t you feel a sense of duty anymore? The one that kept you in the Marines for so long?”

Marc didn’t answer. He couldn’t lie and say he felt nothing.

“You stayed for the highs and the adventure, but mostly because you believed you were making a difference in the world, that you mattered.” Neil gestured. “You can have that here, but it’s better because Adrian is worthy of that kind of respect and loyalty.”

Marc said nothing, not wanting to argue with his new friend.

Neil sighed. “It comes down to how bad you want a chance with her.”

That got Marc’s full attention. “I don’t understand how swearing myself to someone I don’t know, or trust, will give me a chance with Angie.”

“Would it help to know that she has? Sworn to him, I mean. She’s already been…looking.”

Marc wanted to be surprised but he wasn’t. “All I see is an abusive man was given a place of authority here.”

Neil tried not to get mad. “That’s Kenn. Doubt him, like the rest of us, but never Adrian. He would give his life for anyone here. Kenn hid it. Adrian will take care of that, but in his own time and way.”

“I’ll try, I will. And I appreciate what you’re doing for me,” Marc conceded. “God knows I need it, but if she chooses him, I don’t know how long I’ll stay. You may be doing all this for nothing.”

Neil decided he’d played nice long enough. “You’d leave behind the love of your life and your son?”

Instead of the lie that sprang to his lips, Marc let the survivor inside handle it like any other hostile situation. “That means Adrian knows. Does Kenn?”

Neil was impressed by Marc’s reaction and pleased with himself for figuring it out. He hadn’t been sure. Kenn and Charlie did look alike. “Negative, and not one of us would ever tell him.”

Marc scowled. “Us?”

“Adrian’s circle. Kenn’s the only one who hasn’t put it together.”

Marc spent a moment considering. “The Marine I know would have suspected it by now. My bet is that he does, but he thinks it will tip the camp in my favor. He’s acting like he doesn’t, so it won’t come out.”

Neil stared. Hadn’t he often thought there might be devious things going on in Kenn’s mind? “You know him better… Does he have that much self-control? Shouldn’t he have at least confronted you or her about it?”

Marc now wondered if that had been the rage behind the slaps on the drive here. “Maybe he has. You should ask her, so we’ll both know.”

Neil repeated his earlier question. “Would you really leave?”

“Yes. I’d rather die than be here for that.”

Neil wasn’t sure he believed the man, but he wasn’t sure he didn’t either. “I’ll take my chances. In return for all my hard work, I’d ask that you not talk about anything you see tonight, and that you keep an open mind about what kind of future you want here. Two days is hardly enough time to know.”

“I agree, and thank you.” Marc smiled. “On my own, today would have been ugly.”

“It’s not over. Kenn will put up a fight the second he sees you, but Adrian won’t let him shoot you. Neither will I.”

Marc snorted. “You didn’t like Kenn on first sight, did you?”

“Nope. I know a problem when I smell one.” The level five Eagle waved a hand. “Welcome to Fort Haven.”